Several world leaders have condemned the terrorist attack near British Parliament.

France President François Hollande said the attention given to terrorism was heightened by the event.

Five died and 40 others were injured when a knife-wielding man stabbed them after plowing a car into pedestrians on London's Westminster Bridge.

It was reported that German chancellor Angela Merkel also expressed her shock at the attack and said her thoughts were with the British people and everyone in the capital.

She stressed that Germany was on the same side as Britain in terms of fighting terrorism. In December, a failed Tunisian asylum seeker pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 12 people in Berlin by driving a truck into a crowded festive market.

"Although the background to these incidents still needs to be exactly clarified, I confirm on behalf of Germany and its citizens that we stand firmly and resolutely by Britain's side when it comes to fighting any kind of terrorism," she said in an emailed statement.

President Donald Trump's son has criticised London's mayor, shortly after a terror attack on the UK capital that killed four people.

Donald Trump Junior tweeted an article written last year, in which Sadiq Khan said terror vigilance had become "part and parcel" of life in a global city.

The tweet added: "You have to be kidding me?!" “Terror attacks are part of living in a big city, says London Mayor Sadiq Khan."